Hurling and LaCrosse – What’s That?

July 20, 2015

These are two great sports that are many centuries old but receive little recognition. Many more sports fans in the USA have heard of Lacrosse than Hurling. On the contrary, both are getting more popular and especially Lacrosse. Increasingly, high schools are looking to adopt Lacrosse into their sports programs as an alternative to football. Football is not about to be replaced, but Lacrosse offers a less physical toll on the young athlete's body. Hurling rooted in Irish culture is gaining popularity in America, with even some colleges providing the chance to play.

A quick summary of each sport: Lacrosse, a team game played on turf with a ten-player squad that includes one goalkeeper. Players use a netted stick called a Crosse to catch and pass a rubber ball. Players run and move the ball forward to score a goal in a netted cage assembly. Hurling, also a team game is performed on turf with a fifteen-player squad, including a goalie. Players use a Hurley (a wooden stick with a paddle-like top) to advance the ball and swatted handpasses to advance the ball forward and run to put a shot on goal. Of course, rules are applied to both games, which regulate the way the ball is advanced. One player cannot just run down the field with the ball and take a shot at the goal. There are limitations on how long you can run with the ball without passing.

Lacrosse has various versions and dimensions that are played throughout the world. The most common is Field Lacrosse played outside on grass or a synthetic turf field with dimensions 110 yards long by 60 yards wide. Lacrosse has a version called Box Lacrosse which is typically an indoor game with only six players per side, and the field of play is smaller. In Field Lacrosse, the goal sits in a circular crease of 18 feet in diameter.

Hurling field is not always consistent in size, but they can range from 140 to 160 yards long to 90 to 100 yards wide. Each end has H-shaped goals with the posts rising to 20 to 23 feet high with the crossbar standing at around 8 feet. A net extending behind is attached to the crossbar and lower goal posts.

By now, you are probably thinking these are games with players running around with sticks and balls trying to score by either swatting or flinging a ball at a goal. Okay, you are right, except you shouldn't think an opposing player will let you pass and run with a stick as you darn well, please. These are contact sports, and collisions happen. There are defenders in both games who will try to change your course, and that is where the skill lies. As ball-handler, players can use their athleticism and skills to move forward.

The protective gear for both has a significant difference. This difference in equipment affects the gameplay and rules of each becoming an essential part of the sport. The Hurling equipment is pretty basic with the Hurley stick, a helmet, some cleats, and a ball called a Sliotar. Like in baseball with a bat, the Hurley can range in size best fitted for the player and their style. Lacrosse equipment consists of the Crosse, helmet, shoes, ball, and protective pads, including shoulder, arm, rib protection, and gloves. As you can see, the gear affects the type of contact that takes place on the field.

When I first saw a Hurling match at least twenty years ago, I was intrigued by this spectacle of athleticism. Here in the United States, we don't hear much about it, and most sports fans do not know what it is. Ask somebody if they know what Hurling is, and the responses you will get will be comical. Unless you possess some satellite feed from Ireland, Americans will not understand. Some say Hurling is one of the oldest sports still being played, which makes sense. Early players only needed a stick, a rock, a tree, and a few buddies, and the playing happened.

My first recollection of Lacrosse is when I saw it on ESPN being performed by college guys. The game was moving at a higher speed than any other sport I had seen. It was like trying to watch hockey on television, very hard to follow the tiny ball. Now I have seen it being played by men and women, boys and girls in all levels of schools and clubs.

As a sports fan, you have to check out these two games and give them a chance to grow on you. For years, I couldn't take an interest in soccer, but I am starting to understand and appreciate aspects of the game over time. If I ever make it to Ireland, I want to take in a Hurling match because they love it just like Americans enjoy football.